| Notes |
- The following appeared in the church newsletter of Dr. Donald E. Riggs.
During High School days, Pastor John Riggs carried papers during his freshman year and worked in a grocery store the rest of those growing years. After graduation he worked in the First National Bank of Bloomington, Indiana for fourteen years. During that time he served most every office in the church.
On June 25, 1933 he married Dorothy Gines of Washington, Indiana who taught school for six years. They were active in the Bloomington Free Methodist Church where John joined at the age of fifteen and continued service and membership there until they entered the ministry in 1942. Before they entered the ministry Pearce Archer and Mary Joanna were born to the happy couple.
John's first appointment was at the St. Francisville and Liberty circuit, Illinois. He pastored there four years and took the Headquarter's Ministerial four year course during his pastorate there. Janet Sue, now "Ames" was born there.
In 1946 they were transferred to Light and Life Chapel, Indianapolis, Indiana where he was their first pastor. While there, Ruth Jeannine was born. He spent 10 years of his ministry serving in the Wabash conference of the Free Methodist Church of North America.
John received a telephone call from Superintendent F. J. Archer of the Southern California-Arizona Conference on Thanksgiving night in 1951. January 3, 1952 found the family unloading their furniture at the parsonage of the Hillcrest Free Methodist Church, San Diego, California. Seven and one half wonderful years were spent there. It was a joy to see the Sunday School average go from 124 to 306, besides mothering the Grossmont-LeMesa Church.
They pastored the Pasadena Church one year. Then came the appointment by the Conference Board of Administration to Conference Director of Finance. At this time they moved to Hermon on Monterey Road and lived there for fifteen years. For the first three years of this appointment, John was full time in the Conference office. Then they were assigned as Pastor of the Los Angeles Second church where he served for fifteen years. Thus, the last three years of his conference office he was also pastoring a church.
Pearce, Janet and Jeannine were all married from the Hermon Church of which they were then members. John and Dot attended and served the Hermon Church the first three years while he was in the Conference office.
As of conference 1978 he was retired as full time pastor and received the appointment as Associate Pastor of the Hermon Church.
He made the statement in his farewell message at Second Church, "The Lord has one more mountain for him to climb." They are here with us at Hermon and what is best said of Pastor John is that he is LOVE.....pure, wonderful, sweet unmatched LOVE. We are so fortunate that he has agreed to be a part of our ministry. The Lord has truly been faithful to us. WE WELCOME WITH OPEN ARMS & HEARTS our own Pastor John Riggs and Dorothy.
Order for funeral service.
Front Cover: In Memory of My Loving Husband and Our Dad
John E. Riggs
ORDER OF SERVICE UPON DEPARTURE TO HEAVEN
Celebration of Hope L.A. Second Church Choir
Obituary Earl R. Schamehorn
In Memory of a Spiritual Father Mason Johnson
Scripture David Buffong
Prayer Virgil Raley
Celebration of Hope Life Chinese Church Choir of Montebello
In Memory of a Brother Elmer Riggs
In Memory of a Friend Wesley L. Keller
"What a Day That Will Be" William McKinney/Chris Kugler
"Well Done Thou Good and
Faithful Servant" James E. Denison
"Hallelujah" Hermon Choir
Dorothy wrote a note on the program she sent to Herald and Lorene Gines: Congregation sang "I'm so Glad I'm a Part of the Family of God". I and my family greeted everyone at the door as they left.
Middle of program has a picture of John. Birth: June 20, 1907; Death: August 2, 1979
A FAITHFUL MAN OF GOD (Poem that appeared inside funeral program.)
How shallow would my life have been,
how dark and hard the way
But for a faithful man of God
I met one blessed day.
He told me of the love of God
and how Christ died for me.
But for a faithful man of God
I still in sin would be.
And as the years went passing by,
my faith in Christ did grow,
Because the faithful man of God
was teaching me to sow.
His warm, slow, patient, loving ways
inspired me to seek
The things he taught and lived himself;
how blessed are the meek.
He never was too busy; his help was always there.
A faithful man that God could use
in answer to my prayer.
And now that God has called him home
may my life prove to be
As faithful as the one God sent
to show the way to me.
TRIBUTE by Paul N. Ellis
John Riggs was my friend of many years. He and his family have been dear to my family since our youthful days. I am dimished by his death.
My privilege of friendship with him is not unique however, for John Riggs was a sincere friend to all he knew. His capacity to love was boundless.
- his love of God knew no reservation.
- his love of wife and children was deep and abiding.
- his love of those he served as pastor was all inclusive.
- his love of friends brought joy and affirmation to all who knew him.
When we first heard of his death, Delores exclaimed, John personified love.
Indeed he did.
Obituary: REV. JOHN RIGGS MEMORIAL SERVICE.
Rev. James E. Denison of Hermon Free Methodist Church of Highland Park delivered the keynote eulogy at memorial services August 5 for Rev. John E. Riggs, an associate minister at Hermon for the last few years.
The service was officiated by Rev. Earl Schamehorn, conference superintendent, and choir selections were sung by Los Angeles Second Free Methodist, Montebello Life Chinese and Hermon church groups. More than 500 family and friends attended the services. Tributes also were spoken by Rev. Elmer Riggs, a brother, Wesley Keller and Mason Johnson.
Rev. Riggs was born June 20, 1907 in Bloomington, Indiana and died Aug. 2 at White Memorial Hospital after a long illness. He was a pastor for 37 years and lived in California for 27 years serving a pastorship at Free Methodist Church of Los Angeles.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; a son Pearce, Seattle, Washington; three daughters, Joanna Smith, Greenville, Illinois; Janet Ames, Los Angeles and Jeannine Morgan, Carpinteria; Indiana; a sister Jessie Beeler, Sun City, Arizona and 11 grandchildren.
Interment was at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills on August 6.
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1907 - 1979 (72 years)
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